Clutch



July 22 1924. 1,502,449

W. THOMA CLUTCH Filed Feb. 14 1924 INVENTOR By Att orneys,

Patented July 22, 1924.

srs

WALTER THOMA, OF BROOKLYN, NEV! YORK, ASSETS-NOR TO" E. W. BLISS CODIPANY, OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK, A. CORPORATION 0 WES)? VIEGINIA.

CLUTCH.

Application filed. February 14, 1924. $eria1 No. 692,675.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WALTER TrroMA, a citizen of the United States of America, residing at Brooklyn, in the county of Kings and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Clutches, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to clutches, and more particularly to the clutch-operating mechanism by which the clutch-pin-or key is moved into and out of clutching position, and aims to provide improvements therein.

In the type of clutch employing a key or pin which is turned to efiect clutching and declutching of the driving and driven parts, the part which makes contact with said key or pin for turning the latter, is subjected to shocks of considerable amount and number, and to minimize wear and injury to said part it is customary to provide a spring to cushion the shock. The reaction of the spring on the part in question, however, produces a secondary impact of said part, and this in turn produces fatigue of the metal, which in time causes breakage. Breakage of a part of the clutch-operating mechanism is ofcourse objectionable in itself, and is apt to cause injury to the machine to which it is applied and to the operator.

The present invention provides a means whereby the secondary impact of the said part which engages the clutch-key is avoided, and breakage due to fatigue thus avoided.

An embodiment of said invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which,

Figure 1 is a side elevation (partly in section) of said embodiment applied to a press (only so much of the press being illustrated as is necessary to convey an understanding of the invention).

Fig. 2 is a similar view, the parts beingshown in position of reaction to the primary impact on the clutch-operating mecha nism.

The clutch to which this invention is shown as applied, is an invention of Robert W. Strout, and is fully illustrated and described in his United States Patent No. ra lan. dated January .22, .92%? The vention may be applied clutches of this type.

This clutch comprises an oscillating key or pin A carried by a crank-shaft B, and adapted to be connected to and disconnected from a flywheel (not shown) turning on said crank-shaft, by the turning of said key or pin A. The turning of the key A in one direction (to declutching position) is effected through an arm. or tailpiece C, while turning thereof in the opposite direction to clutch) is effected by a spring (not shown). The particular tail-piece C shown has a shoulder D, and a portion E beyond the shoulder D which is concentric with the axis F of rotation of the crank-shaft B in the declutched position of the key A (shown in Figs. 1 and 2).

The clutch-operating means comprises a part 10 adapted to be moved into and out of the path of the tail-piece C of the key A, and to this end the part 10 is conveniently fixed on a rock-shaft 12, which is adapted to be turned by suitable means such as a treadle (not shown) connected through a rod 14 and an arm 16 to said rock-shaft 12. The arm 16 is ordinarily held in place on said shaft 12 by a threaded nut 17. The shaft 12 is journaled in suitable bearings 18, 19, on the side frame of the press and is preferably arranged with its axis substantiallyparallel to a tangent at the point of impact of the part 10 and tail-piece G.

hen the part 10 of the clutch-operating mechanism is moved into the path of revolution of the tail-piece C. the said part 10 will be struck by said tail-piece (shoulder D in the construction shown). The rockshaft 12 is niade axially movable in its bearings, and the reactions from the impact will turn the key A and tail-piece C to the position shown in Fig. 1 and will move the rock shaft 12 axially to substantially the position shown in Fig. 2. V

A spring 22 for cushioning the impact on the part 10 is provided. This spring is preferably a coil spring surrounding the rock-shaft and bearing on a shoulder 2i thereon and on a sleeve 26 threaded in the bearing 19. A washer 28 is preferably arranged on the rock-shaft 12 in such manner that the spring bears on the shoulder 24: through the washer.

When. the rock shaft 12 has reacted und r generally to axially in the direction opposite to that in which it reacted under the impact of the parts 10 and G. If the reaction of the spring 22 be sustained by the arm 16 or nut 17 striking the bearing 19, fatigue will be 7 Set up in the metal of the shaft12 and in time the shaft 12 will break adjacent the arm or nut. This is of course objection able and apt to result in further disorder dangerousto both the press and the press operator.

According to the present invention the parts are arranged to avoid shock on the shaftl2 on r action of the spring 22. This is effected by arranging the spring 22 so that it will make contact-with the bearing 18 (or other stop) before the arm 16 strikes the end of bearing 19' (or other stop), so that the tension of the spring 22 istaken off of the shaft 12 before the arm 16 strikes. ihe momentum of the shaft 12, after being re lieved ofthe push of the spring 22, is quickly overcome by the resistance or friction of the part 10 against the tail-piece C, so that by a slight movement beyond the position where the spring comes into contact with hearing '18 (see Fig. 1) the shaft 12 may be stopped, and even stopped without any impact of the arm 16 against bearing 19. The spring 22 is here shown as bearing against the washer 28 and the washer makes contact with he bearing 18, allowing shoulder 24 on the shaft 12 to move away from the washer. By the present invention breaking of the clutchoperating mechanism due to shock arising either directly or indirectly from the contact between said mechanism and the clutcl lrey is practically avoided.

The invention may receive other embodiments than that herein specifically illustrated and described.

7 That I claim is:

overliesthe part 10, the reaction ofthe 1. Clutch-operating mechanism comprisa part adapted'to make contact with a part of a clutch-key or pin, a spring for cushioning the shock 'of' contact between said operating part and clutch part, and means for relieving said operating part of shock on the reaction of said spring;

2. Clutch-operating mechanism comprising a rock-shaft having a part thereon axial movement, a spring adapted to bear on said rock-shaftto oppose axial movement thereof and thereby to cushion the shocl: of contact between said part on said rock-shaft and said clutch part, and means for relieving said rock-shaft of the action of said spring on reaction said rock shaft being axially movable beyond the point where it is relieved of the action of said spring. i

4;. Clutch-operating mechanism comprising a roclcshaft having a part thereon adapted to be turnedto make contact with a part of clutch-key or pin and having axial movement, a shoulder on said rocksaid washer and said rocl r-shaft be relieved of the action of said spring.

In witness whereof, I have hereunto signed my name.

YVALTER THOMA. 

